Deputy Parliament Speaker Hawrami welcomes Deputy Chair of Austrian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee

"They discussed the security and other challenges facing the Kurdistan Region."

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/07/06 15:32

Deputy Parliament Speaker Hawrami met with the Deputy Chair of the Austrian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, July 5, 2022 (Photo: Kurdistan Parliament)

Kurdistan Hemin Hawrami Kurdistan Parliament Austria Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Kurdistan Parliament Deputy Speaker Dr. Hemin Hawrami welcomed the Deputy Chair of the Austrian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee and spokesperson for foreign affairs of the Austrian Parliament's Green Group, Dr. Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic, on Tuesday.

@KurdistanParl Deputy Speaker Dr. @heminhawrami and @OeParl MP Dr. @dziedzic_ewa , Deputy Chair of Austrian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, discussed security & political situation, ongoing threat from ISIS, & developing parliamentary relations: https://t.co/5lpvuZPHfx pic.twitter.com/gs99zbNQnV
— Kurdistan Parliament (@KurdistanParl) July 5, 2022

"They discussed the security and other challenges facing the Kurdistan Region, and strengthening parliamentary relations," read a press statement on the Kurdistan Parliament website.

"Deputy Speaker Hawrami gave an overview of the Kurdistan Parliament's seats, committees, parties and reserved seats for ethnic and religious components," read the release, adding that they also "discussed the security and environmental situation in Kurdistan Region, Iraq and the broader region, and the ongoing threat from ISIS terrorists."

Kurdish officials have repeatedly stressed that although ISIS is territorially defeated, it still threatens the region's security.

According to the release, Hawrami told Ernst-Dziedzic "that the engagement and presence of Kurdistan's international friends is essential, not only to prevent the full reemergence of ISIS, but also to assist with programs for good governance, transitional justice, economic diversification, and humanitarian aid to IDPs (internally displaced persons) and Syrian refugees."

The two also discussed strengthening bilateral ties and further developing parliamentary relations between Erbil and Vienna.

"Thank you to Deputy Speaker Dr. @heminhawrami for the good meeting," Dr. Ernst-Dziedzic tweeted. "I look forward to closer cooperation between both parliaments and members of parliament in the future, both in Iraqi Kurdistan and with Iraq."

"Diplomatic relations are essential for global challenges."

Dr. Ernst-Dziedzic also met with the Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Safeen Dizayee. They discussed the future return of internally displaced persons (IDP) and refugees to their homes. While Baghdad closed IDP camps in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region still hosts over two million IDPs and refugees despite limited financial resources.

"We discussed the plight of refugees/IDPs, ensuring a safe and dignified return to their homes, importance of tackling climate & environmental crises, plus KRG's strong commitment to protecting the rights of all ethnic and religious communities," Dizayee tweeted after the meeting.

Received Austrian MP @dziedzic_ewa. We discussed the plight of refugees/IDPs, ensuring a safe and dignified return to their homes, importance of tackling climate & environmental crises, plus KRG's strong commitment to protecting the rights of all ethnic and religious communities. pic.twitter.com/rhTu54G49L
— Safeen Dizayee (@SafeenDizayee) July 5, 2022

In a tweet, Dr. Ernst-Dziedzic thanked Dizayee for the important discussion.

"There is no doubt that diplomatic relations need to be intensified," she said. "We're working on that."